Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Panthers made a major trade Saturday night that allowed them to take Florida State defensive end Everette Brown with pick No.43.

To do that, the Panthers gave up their first-round pick for 2010 to San Francisco -- a very big price. Carolina also got a fourth-round pick from the 49ers in this draft -- the No.111 pick overall -- and retained its No.59 pick deep in the second round. With that selection, the Panthers picked Troy cornerback Sherrod Martin, fulfilling a need for depth at the position after parting ways with Ken Lucas in the offseason. Martin has also played a lot of safety, but will most likely be used on special teams and as a nickel cornerback to start out here.

So was Brown worth a 2010 first-round pick? That's the big question, but at least the Panthers have something worth debating again. Brown had 13.5 sacks at FSU in 2008 and was runnerup for ACC Player of the Year, but he's a bit undersized for a DE. Some analysts thought Brown would be better-suited to OLB in a 3-4 scheme.

Brown dropped dramatically in this draft -- almost every mock draft had him in the first round, some in the top 15. (He's also a North Carolina kid, growing up in eastern N.C., where he went to Beddingfield High and actually used to watch Peppers play high school basketball -- as his school and Peppers' high school were in the same conference).

Panther officials have obviously made this move because 1) the uncertainty about Julius Peppers' long-term future at Carolina -- although he certainly should be here for 2009, I think; 2) the fact that no one besides Peppers really could make a dent on the opposing QB in 2008 with any regularity and 3) the fact the Panthers think they are really close to making another deep playoff run and aren't afraid to mortgage some of the future -- i.e. that 2010 1st-rounder -- to get there.

If they're wrong? This one could look bad (and there have been some busts from FSU at DE in the past -- remember Andre Wadsworth?). The Panthers have an extremely difficult schedule, meaning that if they fall on their face in 2009, that 2010 1st-round pick might be a top-15 selection at the least.

But the Panthers aren't playing scared here, that's for sure.

"The best pass defense is a strong pass rush," Carolina coach John Fox is fond of saying, and he and Marty Hurney have made a bold move to help themselves on that pass rush with this trade.

It's the second year in a row Carolina has traded away a future No.1 pick for help now -- a trick the Washington Redskins once specialized in many years ago. Jeff Otah came to Carolina last season for the 2009 1st-rounder. "You only do it for players you think can help you right away," Hurney said Saturday night after the trade.

Oh, nooooooo. This is terrible news. I am guessing that the Panthers go about 8 - 8 next year so they are giving up a mid 1st rounder for a mid 2nd rounder. AND, they plan on keeping JP for a million dollars a game. No one is worth that...much less someone who doesn't even want to be a Panther. What is FoxHurn doing??

Trade him for a 1st and 3rd (2010) this Summer. Not out of the question at all...

Also, Brown was very HIGH on every mock (find me one were he WASN'T being taken in the 1st) he is Top 25 talent for sure...We filled a very crucial need and as Meeks has all ready groomed an "undersized" DE in Dwight Freeney (who many think reminds them of Everette Brown)

I actually really like the move as the ONLY player I wanted was Brown...Go Panthers!!!

I think this trade was necessitated by some intel that the Panthers might be receiving about a later Peppers trade. Therefore, they were unafraid to wager next year's first rounder knowing that they will be receiving one in the Peppers trade - AND they couldn't wait until #59 to take a DE. No inside information, just a hunch.

What they are doing is picking up a first round talent this year instead of next year just like last year with Otah. Everyone had him as a top 20 player and now we have serious pass rushing help that we really needed. Either we get a pash rusher now or later it doesnt matter plus we a get a fourth round pick. Its a good move.

Sorry, but it was a great trade. We got a first round talent for second round money. They are trying to fix what has been missing since we got rid of Rucker and Jenkins. Also, they may be changing schemes with a new defensive coordinator. Which will allow Peppers to switch between DE and OLB.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. I don't care how you try to spin this, the bottom line is they just gave up a first round pick for a guy that EVERY OTHER TEAM PASSED ON AT LEAST ONCE! Fox and Hurney need to go so that we can get a GM & Coach that know how to get BETTER from one year to the next without mortgaging their future.

And don't even try to justify giving $42 million to Jake as a wise move. We won the division last year in SPITE of him, not because of him. Any success he has had over the years is more a result of Steve Smith going up and getting a usually poorly thrown ball, rather than him displaying any kind of actual skill or touch. There is a reason the guy could not start in front of Aaron Brooks in New Orleans, for gods sake!

Bottom line: as long as Fox, Hurney, and Delhomme are around, this team will NEVER seriously contend for a title.

Bottom line: as long as Fox, Hurney, and Delhomme are around, this team will NEVER seriously contend for a title.

May I remind you that with our current coach we have gone to two NFC championship games and one SuperBowl (and lost only by 3 to perhaps the best team dynasty in the past 10 years). I wouldn't call that not seriously contending for a title.

you are seriously an idiot.. thats why he couldn't start over aaron brooks? and since then he has been to a superbowl, an nfc championship, and a probowl. get that weak sauce out of here. this is a top 20 talent, at a position they desperately needed, and they made the move. A+ draft, don't care what the haters say

I am so sick of the Jake, Fox and Hurney haters. You know if you don't like what they do or how Jake plays. Then just shut up, stay off of the blogs, stay away from the games and just stop being a panthers fan. I am tired of you whining, band wagon fans, who only come around when the panthers are only having a good season. I think this was a great draft and I don't care what anyone thinks. Because I am a true fan that is at the games no matter what.

Also, I am tired of going to the games and sitting beside so called panther fans, who wear panther gear to the games all year long. Until the panthers start having a losing season, then you wear a steelers jersey, or cowboys jersey, etc. etc. etc.. You can stop coming to the games as well.

That is right cowboy fans, dolphins fans, whomever. Stop talking it and start bringing it. We are coming to your new house this year cowboy fans, and we are going to take care of business this year. We are going to bring in your new field the right way.

Also, some of you keep saying that the panthers don't know what they are doing in the draft with Fox and Hurney, oh really. Can you say Gross, Gamble, Davis, Williams, Beason, Stewart, and Otah. Hello, they were and have been solid draft picks. Three pro bowlers in the lot.

Dear Joe and FanSince95 Blow it out your........ Actually I do not know how to count since my education goes far beyond your GED. Sorry about the accounting mistake, if forgot that Williams was snubbed in last years pro bowl, but there were two Gross and Beason. By the way who care how long you have been a fan, if you don't go to all of the games.

Dear FanSince95, I am truly sorry that you are not happy with Jake. Maybe you should sit down with Jake, John and Marty and tell them how you truly feel. I am sure they would love to hear your insight on football and how to run an NFL team. They have been to two NFL championships and The Super Bowl with out your assistance, so I am sure they would be willing to hear your expertise and insight.

It's not all about last year, it's about the trend this shows which is that they care more about an aging, never was QB than they do first round picks.

Really, is this why they got first round talent at a second round price. I would rather have Jake, than someone like Quinn or Vince Young, who were first round draft picks in the NFL and haven't done anything. Also, if do recall we were undefeated at home last year and the Lions lost everygame last year at home. And who cares how many championships that the lions one a way back when, it is what have they done lately. Besides have the worst losing record in NFL history.

we all know we need help at DE, BADLY!, and Fox and Hurney addressed that tonight. You guys will be smiling by the end of next season when we go deep into the playoffs, i guarantee it, especially with the same starters coming back?! This team is groomed for success next year despite how hard the schedule looks. Also another thing is I DOUBT WE WILL TRADE PEPPERS. yes I said that correctly. Peppers will play with newly aquired Brown on the other side causing chaos on opposing QB.

As for Delhommey. Hmm For the haters out there, yes im one of them LOL. We might need another quarter, BUT Without Jake, we are a mediocre team with no leader. Hes the best QB we have right now that can take us to that superbowl again, whether its next year or the year after. I have no other Qb in mind that has the CHemistry with Steve Smith. YES. they are a tandem, Steve Smith plays great with Jake behind the line. STEVE NEEDS JAKE. so all the haters out there, there you have it. Jake is our guy, who else can be it?

To sum it all up, EVERETTE BROWN is our future DE, and we are primed for a superbowl real sooon fellaz!

I wouldn't put too much stock in the notion that Brown is a bad pick because every other team passed on him. After all Joe Montana was a 3rd round pick and Tom Brady was a 6th round pick, to name a couple.

the biggest issue is whether the Panthers could have gotten Brown without the trade.

Good move getting Brown. Good move re-signing Jake... he might not be perfect but he he's 5-3 as a playoff starter, played in 1 superbowl, and 2 NFC championship games... we saved some cap space with the Jake deal too. Peppers will stay and he'll play hard because no team will give him a long-term big-money contract unless he produces.

The Panthers will field a solid squad in 2009 and should make the playoffs barring major injury issues.

This team is well managed and continues to move in the right direction. We aren't the Patriots and we aren't the Stealers... but the haters should remember that we also aren't the Bengals and we aren't Raiders (at least not the Raiders of recent history... who btw, took Hayward-Bey 7th overall in this draft).

Everyone on here saying this is terrible stays nameless so they can show how little they know and not be called out on their stupidity. First round picks have huge price tags also they have huge risk of being busts. If you want first round picks become a Raiders fan and pick over hyped players and pay them to fail.

I am glad we got this guy. we need help on the D line. i know some don't like Jake, but i think that the problems we had was not jakes fault. We took a 7-0 lead against the cards then the play calling changed. We were a running power house and for some reason we kept trying to do the play pass. we did not play to our strengths and it was a disaster.The panthers draft picks have been solid and if we can have a consistant pass rush to go along with a high powered rush game. we will have a good year.

Pantherfan, blindly cheering any of the team's moves doesn't make you a fan, it makes you a sheep. Fans are interested in what actually helps the team, and as such, real fans are going to be upset when the Panthers do something highly questionable.

Giving a below average 34 year old quarterback $20 million in new guarantees was highly questionable. Giving up the 2010 first round pick for a situational pass rusher was highly questionable as well. Look, Everette Brown will hopefully be a very good pass rusher, but he is not an every-down player. Michael Johnson would have been available at #59, or they could have traded up from #59 to get Brown. I hope that Sherrod Martin works out, but draft analysts are saying that he was a reach and better suited for safety than corner in the NFL, so it's not like we needed that pick at #59 to make sure we got him. Those are not good moves for a franchise in turmoil.

first off people delhomme is not a bad qb he has never been about stats just wins and losses he makes the plays when needed we are a running team . The only concern I have at qb is injury I don't know much about mccown I want a young qb to be around delhomme because like him or not he has figured out how to win with our team

fulfilling a need for depth at the position after parting ways with Ken Lucas in the offseason.viagra online with any regularity and 3) the fact the Panthers think they are really close to making another deep playoff run